Cope leadership wants answers on Makwarela vetting failure
The Congress of the People says it will launch an investigation into the failure to properly vet the party’s Tshwane councillor Murunwa Makwarela.
Makwarela was disqualified as a PR councillor in Tshwane after it was discovered that he is an unrehabilitated insolvent.
Makwarela, who is Cope’s only councillor in Tshwane, was elected as the city’s mayor last week with the support of the ANC and EFF.
Cope's Dennis Bloem says Makwarela did declare that he was sequestrated on his declaration form when he first stood as a candidate.
He says it was seemingly not picked up by the party’s provincial structure.
"Our nomination process of becoming a public representative starts at the constituency level. The constituency leader and the constituency secretary of elections submit it to the provincial leadership, where processing and vetting took place.
“Provincial leadership submits the candidate list electronically. After the submission of the lists, the national secretary for elections is informed and payment for registration of the lists is done by the national office.
“The entire process of identifying candidates and knowing the background of the candidates is the responsibility of the provincial leadership," adds Bloem.
"We are equally concerned that Dr Makwarela has been a councillor and speaker since November 2021 without any questions raised. Somebody must answer these questions.”
Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission confirmed that it has been notified of a proportional representative councillor vacancy in Tshwane.
"The commission can further confirm that the reasons provided for the vacancy, is that the councillor is disqualified in terms of the constitution in that he falls short of the requirements as it relates to being an unrehabilitated insolvent.
“This disqualification is applicable to candidates and elected councillors. In ensuring that candidates comply with this requirement the Municipal Electoral Act requires that the candidate him/ herself declare on his acceptance of nomination form that he is not disqualified. Furthermore, the party makes the same declaration on its party list for PR councillors," the IEC said in a statement.
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